Numerous labels and forms are printed each day. The printed labels are typically attached to envelopes or other packages to indicate the source or destination of the envelope or package as well as any particular handling information of which the carrier should be aware. For example, the U.S. Postal Service, Federal Express and other delivery services prepare individual labels for each letter or package to be delivered which indicate the addresses of both the source and the recipient, a tracking number and other relevant shipping information.
In order to print the relatively large number of labels required, devices for rapidly printing large numbers of labels, typically supplied in a continuous strip which is wound in a roll, have been developed. These printing devices draw the strip of labels from the wound roll and feed the labels past the print head such that predetermined information may be imprinted upon the individual labels. The operator may thereafter remove the printed labels and apply them to the corresponding packages.
The information to be imprinted on the labels corresponds to data received by the printing device from any one of several sources, including manual entry. The information, regardless of its source, may be imprinted upon the labels by a variety of methods including serial dot matrix printing, thermal printing, laser printing, impact matrix printing, ink jet printing, impact full form printing or other electrographic printing methods.
To further facilitate the rapid printing and processing labels, labels have been specifically developed to be printed by such label printing devices. These labels, which are generally supplied in a wound roll, typically have an adhesive backing and are releasably supported a carrier web. In particular, a layer of a release agent, such as silicone, is generally disposed between the adhesive backing and the carrier web to permit removal of the labels from the carrier web. In operation, the wound roll of labels and the supporting carrier web are rotatably supported by the printing device. The label strip is drawn from the roll and sequentially fed past a print head to imprint the desired information. The carrier web is then passed about a roller which removes the labels from the carrier web so as to permit application of the imprinted labels to a product. The remaining carrier web may thereafter be wound upon a take-up reel for subsequent disposal.
The carrier web remaining once the labels have been printed and removed is not reused, but is scrap which must be thrown away. Even the disposal of the scrap carrier web is problematic, however, since the carrier web contains silicone which requires a relatively long time to degrade. Further, it is estimated that the cost of the carrier web, which is eventually discarded amounts to 20% to 30% of the original cost of the wound roll of labels, thus increasing the material cost of the labels.
Accordingly, labels have been developed which do not include a supporting carrier web. These labels have a primary substrate which is coated with a layer of adhesive on one side. Further, if these labels are formed in a strip which is to be wound in a roll, a layer of a release agent, such as silicone, is applied to a second side of the primary substrate, opposite the adhesive layer, so as to permit wound roll of labels to be unwound during printing.
Conventional label printing machines, however, are not adapted to process labels or strips of labels which are not supported by a carrier web. Correspondingly, the labels adhere to the feed mechanism, typically a number of rollers, of the printing device which draws the labels from the wound roll, feeds them toward the print head and then draws them from the print head following printing. Consequently, the printed labels may not be readily withdrawn from the printing device.
Thus, while it is desirable to print information upon labels which are provided in a strip and which are not supported by a carrier web, label printing machines which are presently available cannot properly process the labels so as to permit the labels to be printed with the desired information and then be readily withdrawn from the printing machine.